Zuni Man Sentenced to 37 Months for McKinley County Stabbing

Adrian Cheama, 37, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, received a 37-month federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced in a Jan. 29, 2026 press release.

According to the announcement, the attack occurred on June 16, 2025, when Cheama stabbed an unarmed man in the abdomen with a sharp metal object without apparent provocation. The victim suffered severe internal injuries and was airlifted to a hospital for life-saving treatment. Investigators say Cheama disposed of the weapon after the attack, preventing law enforcement from recovering it. At the time of arrest, Cheama denied responsibility for the stabbing, though he later entered guilty pleas to the federal charges.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office ordered Cheama to pay $36,567 in restitution and imposed two years of supervised release to follow his prison term. The announcement named First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, as those making the statement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan prosecuted the case. The press release categorized the matter under Indian Country law and justice and credited the Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office with investigating the case alongside the Zuni Police Department.

The federal press materials also noted a broader point about sentencing in federal court: “There is no parole in the federal system.” That detail underscores that the 37-month term is the custodial portion of the sentence Cheama will serve before beginning supervised release under federal supervision.

For McKinley County and Zuni Pueblo residents, the case brings several local concerns into focus: the severity of the attack and the fact that the victim required an airlifted, life-saving response; the involvement of federal and tribal law enforcement in investigating crimes on or affecting tribal lands; and the restitution process tied to medical and related costs. The U.S. Attorney’s announcement did not include the victim’s name or further medical updates, nor did it contain statements from Zuni Pueblo leaders or the victim’s family.

The sentence closes one chapter in a case that began on a June night in 2025, but it also signals continuing steps for the community: restitution collection, two years of supervised release following incarceration, and ongoing coordination between the FBI and Zuni Police. Local leaders and residents may watch for any additional court filings or statements that provide more detail on motive, the victim’s recovery, or community responses as the case moves into the supervised-release phase.